High School

From linebacker to long snapper: Former Arizona high school football star Hogan Hatten makes NFL roster

Hatten converted to a long snapper his last two years of college and is now a starter for the Detroit Lions

SBLive Sports

Saguaro's Hogan Hatten was one of the best linebackers in Arizona during his high school career. He's now a long snapper in the NFL.
Saguaro's Hogan Hatten was one of the best linebackers in Arizona during his high school career. He's now a long snapper in the NFL. / Kynan Marlin

There are many paths to the NFL, and former Arizona high school football star Hogan Hatten found one of the most unlikely ones.

One of the best linebackers in the state his senior season at Saguaro High School, Hatten converted to long snapper at the University of Idaho in 2022 - and he never looked back.

After five seasons at Idaho, Hatten signed an undrafted free agent contract with the Detroit Lions in April. On Monday, he learned that he had beaten out incumbent Scott Daly and will be the long snapper for the Lions this season. That distinction comes with an NFL rookie minimum $795,000 contract.

Hatten was a first-team all-region linebacker as a senior in 2018 and helped Saguaro win its sixth straight state championship. Hogan and his twin brother, Hayden, started their high school careers at Pinnacle High School, alongside Spencer Rattler. Hayden, a wide receiver, signed with the Seattle Seahawks as an undrafted free agent after five seasons at Idaho.

At Idaho, Hogan converted to a full-time long snapper his junior season and went the entire year without a bad snap. He was named to the FCS Preseason All-American Second Team at the start of his senior season.

Lions head coach Dan Campbell was impressed with Hatten throughout training camp and spoke publicly about how his athleticism was a factor.

"He did play linebacker in college. So, he runs pretty good, and he kind of has an awareness on the football, and he’s played some defensive snaps for us — a couple," Campbell told the Detroit Free Press. "We needed him in there with where we were at at linebacker to finish a game out. So, that’s what he’s got. Now it’s about, ‘Ok, well can you’ — and what we know about Daly. Daly has been able to snap consistently and under pressure, big games, different looks, handling the protection and the snap. So, that’s the next step for him. He has to be able to prove that he can do that with a rush on him."

Hatten proved it, and now he'll be playing on Sundays.

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Detroit Lions long snapper Hogan Hatten (49) practices during rookie minicamp at Detroit Lions headquarters
Detroit Lions long snapper Hogan Hatten (49) practices during rookie minicamp at Detroit Lions headquarters and practice facility in Allen Park. Hatten found out Monday, Aug. 26 that he won the long snapper job. / Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK

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